The three-party military agreement between the governments of Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan for the development and construction of a new 6th generation supersonic combat aircraft called the Tempest has been formalised. The announcement confirms the rumors recently filtered in the international media regarding the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP). The aircraft is expected to be operational in 2035. 

"As leaders of Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, we are committed to upholding the rules-based, free and open international order, which is more important than ever at a time when these principles are contested and threats and aggression are on the rise. increase", Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a joint statement.

"Since the defense of our democracy, our economy and our security and the protection of regional stability -add the three politicians- are increasingly important, we need strong defense and security partnerships, supported and strengthened by a credible of deterrence".

The new aircraft will be manufactured by the British firms Bae Systems and Rolls-Royce, the Italian Leonardo Group and the Avio company, as well as the Japanese IHI Corporation. The aircraft is intended to replace the current European-made Eurofighter Typhoon fighter and the Mitsubishi F-2 used by the Tokyo Air Force.

The Meloni Government explains in the joint note: "This program will produce wide-ranging economic and industrial benefits, supporting employment. It will attract investment in research and development in digital design and advanced production processes. It will provide opportunities for the next generation of technicians and highly skilled engineers. Working together in a spirit of equal partnership, we share the costs and benefits of this investment in our people and technologies".

"This program was designed with our Allies in mind", taking into account "future interoperability with the United States, with NATO and with our partners in Europe, in the Indo-Pacific". This "will constitute a cornerstone of global security, stability and prosperity in the decades to come", they add from Palazzo Chigi.

The Meloni executive reiterates that the Italy-Japan-United Kingdom agreement aims to "uphold the free and open international order based on rules, more important than ever at a time when these principles are contested and in which threats and aggressions are growing".

On the same topic see also the article published by AVIONEWS.